MORGANTOWN — Blaine Traxel’s ejection from West Virginia’s 9-3 victory against Oklahoma on Sunday will cost him a one-game suspension.
According to a school spokesperson, Traxel, who leads the nation with five complete games this season, will have to sit out Wednesday’s road game against rival Pitt.
But, the pitcher wasn’t scheduled to pitch again until Saturday, when the No. 12 Mountaineers (36-12, 13-5 Big 12) host Texas Tech, so his suspension will literally not force him to miss any time.
Traxel (6-4, 3.32 ERA) put on a wild celebration Sunday, following Logan Sauve’s home run in the fourth inning of the game.
While Sauve trotted around the bases, Traxel donned a catcher’s mask, wrapped his head in a towel and put a traffic cone on top of his head and danced around outside of the Mountaineers’ dugout.
NCAA rules allow for props to be used in team celebrations — such as WVU’s pretzel chain players wear after a home run — as long as the prop remains in the dugout.
Traxel, who was not in Sunday’s lineup, was ejected from the game for unsportsmanlike conduct.
According to NCAA rules, that kind of ejection also comes with a one-game suspension.
A graduate transfer from Cal State Northridge, Traxel is in his first season at WVU in his final season of college eligibility. He leads the Big 12 with 86.2 innings pitched and has added 62 strikeouts against 16 walks.
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